Predestination is the biblical doctrine that God, "for the manifestation of his glory," has foreordained some human beings (and angels) to everlasting life and others to everlasting death (WCF 3.3). This is not a marginal teaching but a central thread of Scripture β the consoling truth that salvation from first to last is of the Lord.
The classic text is Romans 8:29-30:
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son... Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
The "golden chain" β foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, glorification β is unbreakable. Every link is secured by God's eternal purpose. The term "foreknowledge" (proginΕskΕ) in this context does not mean mere advance awareness of future choices. In biblical idiom, it means God's setting His covenant love upon persons before the foundation of the world. ^[raw/en/wcf-ch03-s02.md]
B. B. Warfield argued that proginΕskΕ in the New Testament is "not a mere intellectual act of prescience, but an act of will β the will to enter into relations of intimate personal knowledge with its objects. That is to say, it is elective."
The crucial point established in WCF 3.2 is that predestination is not based on God's foresight of human faith or works. Romans 9:11-13 drives this home: the decree concerning Jacob and Esau was made "the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth."
God does not elect because He foresees faith; He gives faith because He has elected. The decree rests on God's "own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9).
WCF 3.3 states plainly: "By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death."
The Confession makes a careful linguistic distinction: the elect are predestinated; the reprobate are foreordained (Latin: praedestinati vs. ordinati). This asymmetry reflects a substantive theological claim:
In reprobation, God does not infuse sin but leaves the sinner to the consequences of the sin the sinner has freely chosen. ^[raw/en/wcf-ch03-s03.md]
Key passages include:
Far from undermining assurance, the doctrine of predestination grounds it. Thomas Goodwin counseled: "Look not to thy faith as the ground of thy election, but look to thy election as the ground of thy faith. Thy faith is changeable; thy election is not."
The believer examines himself for the marks of election β faith in Christ, love for holiness, sorrow for sin β not to peer into the secret decree, but to see the fruit of that decree in his own soul. As Peter exhorts, "give diligence to make your calling and election sure" (2 Pet 1:10).
The doctrine of predestination does not hinder evangelism but energizes it. The decree ordains both the end (the salvation of the elect) and the means (the preaching of the gospel). As Paul asked, "How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" (Rom 10:14). The preacher goes with confidence that his labour is not in vain β God has a people in every city.